Measuring Time Unit: Day 1/ Lesson 1 Grade/Content Area: Grade 6 Physical Science Title: Introduction to Concept of Time GLEs/GSEs: ESS2: The earth is part of a solar system, made up of distinctive parts that have temporal and spatial interrelationships.
ESS2.8- Systems and Energy/ Patterns of Change:
Explain temporal or positional relationships between or among the Earth, sun, moon (e.g. night/day, seasons, year, tides) or how gravitational force affects objects in the solar system (e.g. moons, tides, orbits, satellites).
Students demonstrate an understanding of temporal or positional relationships between or among the Earth, sun, and moon by:
a) Using models to describe the relative motion/ position of the Earth, sun and moon.
b) Using a model of the Earth, sun and moon to recreate the phases of the moon.
The goal of this lesson is to build a foundation that the students can then use to eventually meet the requirements of the aforementioned GSE. To do this, the students need to be able to utilize their scientific connections and apply them to new concepts. This performance is outlined in the list of Performance Standards for Science for Curtis Corner Middle School, which states:
Standard 4: Scientific Connections and Applications: The student produces evidence that demonstrates understanding of:
S4a: Big ideas and unifying concepts, such as order and organization; models, form and function; change and constancy; and cause and effect.
Utilization of this standard will be helpful in implementing a new topic and connecting its ideas to previously learned material. Since the introduction of the unit and lesson requires drawing on previously learned knowledge, the students are expected to gather this knowledge and apply it to the concept of time. Once understanding of this idea is met throughout the class, instruction can then proceed towards fulfilling the goals of the GSE and its subsects.
• Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
Context for the Lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is to engage the students in a new topic by assessing prior knowledge through specific questioning and discussion. The main question / focus of this lesson is “What is time?” The important inquiry based instruction through discussion of questions and answers in this lesson will provide the foundation of understanding that will progress to the exterior aspects of the unit. According to Gallagher, “Such an environment must be “low risk” for students, so that ideas can be explored and discussed without fear or ridicule from peers or lowered grades from the teacher.” To accomplish this, the understanding that evolves from a question and answer discussion session will lead into the physical act of gathering information from each other when performing a simple experiment designed to measure time.
The process of this activity involves the organization of ideas, the execution of a successful method, and the ability to analyze the results compared to a standard. As the students progress, more in depth questions will arise to spark deeper understanding. As the students explore their new topic, material is slowly integrated into the mix from the previous lesson on Astronomy, which included topics such as: · Comparing the size, location, distance, and movement of the objects in the Solar System. · Comparing the composition, atmosphere, and surface features of objects in our Solar System.
This incorporation of old material will serve to: 1) keep the information fresh in the student’s minds, 2) connect previously learned material with the new material, and 3) pre-assess the student’s knowledge on both the previous unit’s material and the current material.
Completion of the lesson will take one class period. The next class period will revisit the main ideas of this lesson before moving onto further topics. This scaffolding approach will allow the teacher to observe their own progress throughout the unit, and to monitor the progression of the students’ understanding. You should increase the readability of your lesson plans by skipping lines between each paragraph, and providing a strong topic sentence for each paragraph. Opportunities to Learn: Inthis lesson, I have tried to incorporate learning strategies that utilize many multiple intelligences. To begin, the discussion portion associated with the asking and answering of questions will use the interpersonal intelligence through encouraging interactions between the teacher and the students. This discussion will also bring the linguistic approach into existence, since students will be using rhetoric to make their arguments or opinions heard in discussion. A time measuring activity will incorporate the interpersonal aspect with the logical- mathematical intelligence, since organization of data and correspondence with a partner is required for the success of the experiment. The use of pictures on an overhead projector, or computer (Stonehenge, Obelisk, Pyramids) will allow the students to make easier connections with the material as well. Incorporating text (concept map, or worksheet) into the lesson is important as well since it provides a reference point that the student can always use when they need to retrieve information.
The students will be able to apply their skills they learn in the early part of the class by participating in the group lab (groups of 2), which will measure a period of time by estimating the amount of time in 2 minutes. During the question/ answer discussion portion of the class, students will be introduced to new material (through pictures or text) and will be able to answer questions that reflect their new found knowledge. In the final portion of the class, the students will receive a worksheet for the first time and will be able to take another step forward in their inquiry. The class will begin the worksheet by reading it aloud, and everyone else following. The worksheet will then be assigned as homework, and will be used to begin the next class’ opening engagement.
The depth of knowledge associated with the group activity will be level 1 and level 2 and 3. Level 1 is associated with the simple counting of the seconds, while level 2 is associated with the comparing of results to the actual time period, and level 3 is the attempt at finding a natural cycle corresponding to their measurements (beating of heart). The worksheet given towards the end of class and for homework will have questions that are both level 1 and level 2 depth of knowledge. To prepare for the lesson, I would need to prepare:
· A set of questions to ask the students, that will be incorporated into the in-class research worksheet. Where are the questions? · A set of pictures to show the students and supplement the material during guided instruction. · Copies of the worksheet that will be started in the class and finished for homework by the students. Text #1 Text #2 Text #3 Text #4 Worksheet #1
To ensure the success of this lesson, the students need to be ready to involve themselves in some kind of discussion that leads to them understanding the main point of our unit. The students will also need to incorporate what they have learned in the previous unit on Astronomy to this new material. That level of previous knowledge will determine how quickly the students will capture the basis of the lesson.
Objectives:
Learning Goals:
1) Answer and revisit the question “What is time?” <== This seems like a good objective. · Answered through persistent leading questions. How are these statements helping you? · Answered through collaboration with students and teacher. · Self assessing their answers to the question in the beginning of the class and at the end. · Assessment of their progress by collecting their papers on the question and observing improvement throughout the class period. · Students need to participate, and draw on previous knowledge. · Objective may need support/ reinforcement from other activities. · Revisit questions again to build upon previous knowledge.
2) Measure a period of time through estimation. Compare that estimation to the actual value, and determine a natural cycle of its equivalence that is more accurate. · Students need to pay attention to directions. · Students need to understand purpose of experiment. · Students need to understand how the results relate to what time is. · I will ask the students, “What did you just measure?” (moved to engagement section)<== Isn't this an instructional cue for you? Why is this with your objectives? · Revisit question “What is time?”
3) Work collaboratively in a group of 2. · Each student attempts the activity, with the other person recording actual time.
4) Cooperation and involvement in class discussion. · Maintain order, respect, and organization in the classroom.
Instructional Procedures: Opening/ Engagement/Closure:
Opening:
Begin lesson by asking the class as a whole, “What is time?” If students are unprepared or uninterested, other questions relating time to previously learned material could help break the ice. Other questions could be:
“Is time a clock?”
“What determines how long an hour is?”
Why are there 24 hours in a day?”
“Think back to the lesson we had on the Solar System. What determines how long a year is on Earth compared to Mercury?” or,
“Why is Mercury’s year shorter than Earth’s?”
After some discussion, I will ask that every student write down on a piece of paper the question, “What is time?”, and then write down their answer. You should bullet these questions so you can review them easily.
The purpose here is to get the students to realize that time is based upon light from the sun. Is it? In what way? Without light, we have no reference point to distinguish between night and day, the changing angles of the sun from summer to winter, differing phases of the moon that define a lunar month, or star orientations that would aid in time measurements in ancient times. Do we still rely on astronomical movements for recording time? The conversation can start by defining time. I would define time as a measurable, accurately repeating cycle. The cycle that I would reference would be associated with the Sun's light. Light from the sun is considered a constant velocity (except when being affected by gravity around massive objects), and can then be counted on to be a reference point for accurate measurement. Locating repeatable cycles associated with the sun is the next step in measuring an aspect of time. These points will be talked about once the students come to the realization that sunlight is one tangible basis for our time measuring system. How will what you teach about time compare to the Wikipedia entry on time?
Engagement:
Once I feel the students are in the right mindset, other questions will arise to further their understanding. “What do you think people did a long time ago, before electricity, or cars, to tell time accurately?” “What objects could people have used to aid them?” After this, I would ask the students to choose a partner and perform the time measuring activity:
1. One person close their eyes and count/ estimate/ or try to accurately equal the amount of seconds in two minutes. The other partner will look at the actual clock.
2. After two minutes, the students will reveal their estimated time and actual time.
3. Switch roles.
Once this activity is completed, I would go around and ask the students what values they estimated, and if anyone was exact. I would ask them, “What methods did you use to get accurate measurements each time?” “What could you have done to get more accurate?” I am looking for answers such as keeping a musical beat by tapping, listening to your heart beat, the rhythm of breathing. I will ask the students, “What did you just measure?”Will you do something the the class's data? By listing the class data on the board, we will be able to compare results, and methods for measuring time. We will also be able to observe who was closest, and get an understanding on the importance of accuracy when determining time. "What would happen if our world clock was off by 30 seconds every two minutes?"
I would then revisit the question, “What is time?”, and “How do you think people measured it accurately a long time ago?” After this short discussion, I would show pictures on the overhead projector or ELMO, (Stonehenge, medicine wheel, and pyramids) and ask the students if they knew what any of these structures were and where they were built. To incorporate this new knowledge, the students would have to recall:
1. Comparing the size, location, distance, and movement of the objects in the Solar System.
“Does anyone know the purpose or reason why these structures were useful back then, or why they were built?” My goal is to have the students realize that the sun plays a role in each of these objects in measuring time somehow. “How could these ancient people use the sun to tell time in other ways?” After discussing some opinions, I would ask them if they knew what an obelisk or a sundial was. I would show them a picture of each and ask them if they knew how they could possibly measure time. After some deliberation, I would explain the mechanism for them, through guided, question based instruction.
It is important to walk around the classroom and ask questions to as many students as possible, often repeating correctly answered questions to those students who are not adequately engaged. How is Stonehenge and the pyramids related to the sun and telling time? By introducing pictures of the ancient observatories, I am hoping that some students will recognize them. I am not trying to explain their significance just yet. The next lesson will incorporate the role of these observatories in measuring time. For now, a small visual introduction to these objects might stir up some recognition, interest, and provide me with some prior knowledge information about the students.
Do the activities you describe here correspond to the activities you mention in your overview?
Closing:
“So what do you think time is?” “Is it different than what you had first thought?” I will then ask them to take out their piece of paper from the beginning of class that posed their question, “What is time?” and write down their second answer, explaining to them that it is important to write down anything important and new that they can add to their early definition. Their answer might be completely wrong, but it is important to show their improvement from the beginning to the end of class. After this is completed, I will collect the papers, and hand out a worksheet “Ticking Off The Day” that describes the introduction of early time measuring devices. We will finish off the class by taking turns reading aloud the small paragraphs. The questions attached to the 2 page excerpt will be due for homework. And the concepts involved in the homework will serve as a starting point for the next class. Do you think students benefit from round-robin reading?What do you remember about the times your teachers had you take turns reading passages? Did you actually listen to your peers? Generally, this strategy has lost favor with literacy folks, so I'd be interested to know if it was endorsed in your URI coursework.
Assessment: Formative assessment will dominate this first class due to the need to gauge student progress, and prior knowledge. The time measuring activity will measure initially what the students understand. Based upon their answers, and follow up answers to questions, I will be able to assess their understanding up to this point. Also, by asking the students to write down their definition of what time is in the beginning of class and at the end, this allows me to assess their knowledge and understanding and how it progressed through the class. The only summative assessment is associated with the worksheet, which is due the following day, and will assess information they gathered from the reading assignment and through the use of information from today’s class.
Grade/Content Area: Grade 6 Physical Science
Title: Introduction to Concept of Time
GLEs/GSEs:
ESS2: The earth is part of a solar system, made up of distinctive parts that have temporal and spatial interrelationships.
ESS2.8- Systems and Energy/ Patterns of Change:
Explain temporal or positional relationships between or among the Earth, sun, moon (e.g. night/day, seasons, year, tides) or how gravitational force affects objects in the solar system (e.g. moons, tides, orbits, satellites).
Students demonstrate an understanding of temporal or positional relationships between or among the Earth, sun, and moon by:
a) Using models to describe the relative motion/ position of the Earth, sun and moon.
b) Using a model of the Earth, sun and moon to recreate the phases of the moon.
The goal of this lesson is to build a foundation that the students can then use to eventually meet the requirements of the aforementioned GSE. To do this, the students need to be able to utilize their scientific connections and apply them to new concepts. This performance is outlined in the list of Performance Standards for Science for Curtis Corner Middle School, which states:
Standard 4: Scientific Connections and Applications: The student produces evidence that demonstrates understanding of:
S4a: Big ideas and unifying concepts, such as order and organization; models, form and function; change and constancy; and cause and effect.
Utilization of this standard will be helpful in implementing a new topic and connecting its ideas to previously learned material. Since the introduction of the unit and lesson requires drawing on previously learned knowledge, the students are expected to gather this knowledge and apply it to the concept of time. Once understanding of this idea is met throughout the class, instruction can then proceed towards fulfilling the goals of the GSE and its subsects.
• Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
Context for the Lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is to engage the students in a new topic by assessing prior knowledge through specific questioning and discussion. The main question / focus of this lesson is “What is time?” The important inquiry based instruction through discussion of questions and answers in this lesson will provide the foundation of understanding that will progress to the exterior aspects of the unit. According to Gallagher, “Such an environment must be “low risk” for students, so that ideas can be explored and discussed without fear or ridicule from peers or lowered grades from the teacher.” To accomplish this, the understanding that evolves from a question and answer discussion session will lead into the physical act of gathering information from each other when performing a simple experiment designed to measure time.
The process of this activity involves the organization of ideas, the execution of a successful method, and the ability to analyze the results compared to a standard. As the students progress, more in depth questions will arise to spark deeper understanding. As the students explore their new topic, material is slowly integrated into the mix from the previous lesson on Astronomy, which included topics such as:
· Comparing the size, location, distance, and movement of the objects in the Solar System.
· Comparing the composition, atmosphere, and surface features of objects in our Solar System.
This incorporation of old material will serve to: 1) keep the information fresh in the student’s minds, 2) connect previously learned material with the new material, and 3) pre-assess the student’s knowledge on both the previous unit’s material and the current material.
Completion of the lesson will take one class period. The next class period will revisit the main ideas of this lesson before moving onto further topics. This scaffolding approach will allow the teacher to observe their own progress throughout the unit, and to monitor the progression of the students’ understanding.
You should increase the readability of your lesson plans by skipping lines between each paragraph, and providing a strong topic sentence for each paragraph.
Opportunities to Learn:
In this lesson, I have tried to incorporate learning strategies that utilize many multiple intelligences. To begin, the discussion portion associated with the asking and answering of questions will use the interpersonal intelligence through encouraging interactions between the teacher and the students. This discussion will also bring the linguistic approach into existence, since students will be using rhetoric to make their arguments or opinions heard in discussion. A time measuring activity will incorporate the interpersonal aspect with the logical- mathematical intelligence, since organization of data and correspondence with a partner is required for the success of the experiment. The use of pictures on an overhead projector, or computer (Stonehenge, Obelisk, Pyramids) will allow the students to make easier connections with the material as well. Incorporating text (concept map, or worksheet) into the lesson is important as well since it provides a reference point that the student can always use when they need to retrieve information.
The students will be able to apply their skills they learn in the early part of the class by participating in the group lab (groups of 2), which will measure a period of time by estimating the amount of time in 2 minutes. During the question/ answer discussion portion of the class, students will be introduced to new material (through pictures or text) and will be able to answer questions that reflect their new found knowledge. In the final portion of the class, the students will receive a worksheet for the first time and will be able to take another step forward in their inquiry. The class will begin the worksheet by reading it aloud, and everyone else following. The worksheet will then be assigned as homework, and will be used to begin the next class’ opening engagement.
The depth of knowledge associated with the group activity will be level 1 and level 2 and 3. Level 1 is associated with the simple counting of the seconds, while level 2 is associated with the comparing of results to the actual time period, and level 3 is the attempt at finding a natural cycle corresponding to their measurements (beating of heart). The worksheet given towards the end of class and for homework will have questions that are both level 1 and level 2 depth of knowledge.
To prepare for the lesson, I would need to prepare:
· A set of questions to ask the students, that will be incorporated into the in-class research worksheet. Where are the questions?
· A set of pictures to show the students and supplement the material during guided instruction.
· Copies of the worksheet that will be started in the class and finished for homework by the students.
Text #1
Text #2
Text #3
Text #4
Worksheet #1
To ensure the success of this lesson, the students need to be ready to involve themselves in some kind of discussion that leads to them understanding the main point of our unit. The students will also need to incorporate what they have learned in the previous unit on Astronomy to this new material. That level of previous knowledge will determine how quickly the students will capture the basis of the lesson.
Objectives:
Learning Goals:
1) Answer and revisit the question “What is time?” <== This seems like a good objective.
· Answered through persistent leading questions. How are these statements helping you?
· Answered through collaboration with students and teacher.
· Self assessing their answers to the question in the beginning of the class and at the end.
· Assessment of their progress by collecting their papers on the question and observing improvement throughout the class period.
· Students need to participate, and draw on previous knowledge.
· Objective may need support/ reinforcement from other activities.
· Revisit questions again to build upon previous knowledge.
2) Measure a period of time through estimation. Compare that estimation to the actual value, and determine a natural cycle of its equivalence that is more accurate.
· Students need to pay attention to directions.
· Students need to understand purpose of experiment.
· Students need to understand how the results relate to what time is.
· I will ask the students, “What did you just measure?” (moved to engagement section)<== Isn't this an instructional cue for you? Why is this with your objectives?
· Revisit question “What is time?”
3) Work collaboratively in a group of 2.
· Each student attempts the activity, with the other person recording actual time.
4) Cooperation and involvement in class discussion.
· Maintain order, respect, and organization in the classroom.
Instructional Procedures: Opening/ Engagement/Closure:
Opening:
Begin lesson by asking the class as a whole, “What is time?” If students are unprepared or uninterested, other questions relating time to previously learned material could help break the ice. Other questions could be:
After some discussion, I will ask that every student write down on a piece of paper the question, “What is time?”, and then write down their answer. You should bullet these questions so you can review them easily.
The purpose here is to get the students to realize that time is based upon light from the sun. Is it? In what way? Without light, we have no reference point to distinguish between night and day, the changing angles of the sun from summer to winter, differing phases of the moon that define a lunar month, or star orientations that would aid in time measurements in ancient times. Do we still rely on astronomical movements for recording time? The conversation can start by defining time. I would define time as a measurable, accurately repeating cycle. The cycle that I would reference would be associated with the Sun's light. Light from the sun is considered a constant velocity (except when being affected by gravity around massive objects), and can then be counted on to be a reference point for accurate measurement. Locating repeatable cycles associated with the sun is the next step in measuring an aspect of time. These points will be talked about once the students come to the realization that sunlight is one tangible basis for our time measuring system. How will what you teach about time compare to the Wikipedia entry on time?
Engagement:
Once I feel the students are in the right mindset, other questions will arise to further their understanding. “What do you think people did a long time ago, before electricity, or cars, to tell time accurately?” “What objects could people have used to aid them?” After this, I would ask the students to choose a partner and perform the time measuring activity:
1. One person close their eyes and count/ estimate/ or try to accurately equal the amount of seconds in two minutes. The other partner will look at the actual clock.
2. After two minutes, the students will reveal their estimated time and actual time.
3. Switch roles.
Once this activity is completed, I would go around and ask the students what values they estimated, and if anyone was exact. I would ask them, “What methods did you use to get accurate measurements each time?” “What could you have done to get more accurate?” I am looking for answers such as keeping a musical beat by tapping, listening to your heart beat, the rhythm of breathing. I will ask the students, “What did you just measure?”Will you do something the the class's data? By listing the class data on the board, we will be able to compare results, and methods for measuring time. We will also be able to observe who was closest, and get an understanding on the importance of accuracy when determining time. "What would happen if our world clock was off by 30 seconds every two minutes?"
I would then revisit the question, “What is time?”, and “How do you think people measured it accurately a long time ago?” After this short discussion, I would show pictures on the overhead projector or ELMO, (Stonehenge, medicine wheel, and pyramids) and ask the students if they knew what any of these structures were and where they were built. To incorporate this new knowledge, the students would have to recall:
1. Comparing the size, location, distance, and movement of the objects in the Solar System.
“Does anyone know the purpose or reason why these structures were useful back then, or why they were built?” My goal is to have the students realize that the sun plays a role in each of these objects in measuring time somehow. “How could these ancient people use the sun to tell time in other ways?” After discussing some opinions, I would ask them if they knew what an obelisk or a sundial was. I would show them a picture of each and ask them if they knew how they could possibly measure time. After some deliberation, I would explain the mechanism for them, through guided, question based instruction.
It is important to walk around the classroom and ask questions to as many students as possible, often repeating correctly answered questions to those students who are not adequately engaged. How is Stonehenge and the pyramids related to the sun and telling time? By introducing pictures of the ancient observatories, I am hoping that some students will recognize them. I am not trying to explain their significance just yet. The next lesson will incorporate the role of these observatories in measuring time. For now, a small visual introduction to these objects might stir up some recognition, interest, and provide me with some prior knowledge information about the students.
Do the activities you describe here correspond to the activities you mention in your overview?
Closing:
“So what do you think time is?” “Is it different than what you had first thought?” I will then ask them to take out their piece of paper from the beginning of class that posed their question, “What is time?” and write down their second answer, explaining to them that it is important to write down anything important and new that they can add to their early definition. Their answer might be completely wrong, but it is important to show their improvement from the beginning to the end of class. After this is completed, I will collect the papers, and hand out a worksheet “Ticking Off The Day” that describes the introduction of early time measuring devices. We will finish off the class by taking turns reading aloud the small paragraphs. The questions attached to the 2 page excerpt will be due for homework. And the concepts involved in the homework will serve as a starting point for the next class. Do you think students benefit from round-robin reading? What do you remember about the times your teachers had you take turns reading passages? Did you actually listen to your peers? Generally, this strategy has lost favor with literacy folks, so I'd be interested to know if it was endorsed in your URI coursework.
Assessment:
Formative assessment will dominate this first class due to the need to gauge student progress, and prior knowledge. The time measuring activity will measure initially what the students understand. Based upon their answers, and follow up answers to questions, I will be able to assess their understanding up to this point. Also, by asking the students to write down their definition of what time is in the beginning of class and at the end, this allows me to assess their knowledge and understanding and how it progressed through the class. The only summative assessment is associated with the worksheet, which is due the following day, and will assess information they gathered from the reading assignment and through the use of information from today’s class.